Management

Swim In The Social Pool

By Sonja Carberry03/25/2010 05:02 PM ET

Top firms don't just dip a toe in social media. They take meaningful leaps. How to avoid a painful belly-flop? Perfect your entry.

 Create a new twist. Facebook users show they care by sending virtual flowers and drinks to online friends. So why not exchange real gifts? Entrepreneur Rob Carpenter says that observation led to his start-up, Friendgiftr.com.

As an early e-commerce application on social sites like Facebook and MySpace, Friendgiftr lets users send pals real gift cards from merchants such as Starbucks (SBUX) and Macy's (M). Carpenter says being fluent in social media  he's been on Facebook since its start in 2004  helped him swim the turbulent startup waters. "You have to be extremely patient and you can't crack like a teacup," he told IBD. "Inch by inch on a daily basis  that's how you get this to scale."

So he approached established firm Gifts.com (IACI) and crafted a deal to use its back-end credit card processing in exchange for introduction to top firms. Carpenter has landed 130-plus brand names for his site.

"We go merchant to merchant together," he said. "Without that (credibility), we wouldn't be here."

 Make a splash. Want attention for your firm? Nothing gets people talking like a viral YouTube video.

If you want to create one for your firm, make sure it's truly entertaining. Just don't go overboard. So says "YouTube for Business" author Michael Miller. "If you're too slick, (people) are going to reject it as too commercial," he said. "You want good production values, but not great production values."

 Stay in the water. Don't just post your video and disappear. Keep the conversation going by responding diplomatically to the positive and negative comments viewers write about your YouTube clip.

"You have to be prepared to interact," Miller said.

 Ride the waves. A way to tap into what your consumers are saying? Create an online community where they can vent. After pioneering a popular online community for gamers in 1997, Lithium Technologies' founders started developing consumer support sites for market leaders such as Best Buy (BBY) and AT&T (T).

Lithium Chief Marketing Officer Sanjay Dholakia says newbies to this social spin on customer relationship management are often surprised by the tidal wave of response.

"You have to know there is pent-up demand for feedback out there," Dholakia told IBD. "(Consumers) love the fact that you're finally listening."

 Locate those lifeguards. Firms might be listening, but they don't run the groups.

Lithium's communities are designed to be self-policed by superusers. These are knowledgeable consumers who gravitate to such sites because they're interested in leading helpful communities.

The fact they're not employees gives superusers added credibility as they answer questions and solve problems.

Say a disgruntled consumer arrives at the site with a misguided complaint.

"Superusers will come to the company's defense," Dholakia said. "What we see a lot of times is they will turn those detractors into fans."